


Leaf Ceilings

by SillyBlue



Series: Naga Verse [2]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alpha Dean Winchester, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Angel Castiel, Arranged Marriage, Creature Dean, Cultural Differences, M/M, Naga Dean, Omega Castiel, Omega Castiel/Alpha Dean Winchester, Prince Castiel, Prince Dean Winchester, Scent Marking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-13
Updated: 2017-03-22
Packaged: 2018-10-03 19:40:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 12,701
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10256183
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SillyBlue/pseuds/SillyBlue
Summary: Following their arranged marriage, Castiel travels to the lands of his new husband Dean. Before they reach the capital they have to pass through the Great Forest and Castiel gets to learn a thing or two not only about Dean's culture, but also about how little he likes the near absolute darkness that descends upon the forest as night falls.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> And another part in the Naga Verse, set directly after the last. This story makes the most sense if you read the previous part that shows how Dean and Castiel's marriage came to be. But you can also start here if you're daring!
> 
> I owe Bella-Monoxide great thanks again for looking over this chapter! ♥

 

Castiel woke to the sound of rain. Heavy drops pulled him out of sleep drip by insistent drip. Castiel huffed in displeasure, breathing in the spicy scent of the pillow he was resting on. Maybe if he pulled it over his head? He shuffled slightly, getting his hands under the pillow but no. Sleep was slipping out of his grasp. Castiel heaved a sigh and slowly opened his eyes with a groan. It was still dark, the air warm and musty, smelling of wood and spices.

A low chuckle made Castiel sit up at once and when his eyes searched the dim interior of the wagon he saw the glint of Dean's eyes. He exhaled in relief, but embarrassment crept up right away.

"Hello, sunshine," Dean said. "How about some light?" Castiel couldn't see more than the faint shape of his husband moving but then Dean lit the lamps hanging from the ceiling. Now that Castiel's mind was no longer dulled by sleep, he noticed that his entire body felt wet, his night shirt sticking to his upper body. He pulled at his collar. It was definitely sweat and not a leak in the wagon's canvas that caused it.

"It's warm," Castiel observed and Dean laughed at that.

"Of course it is. Did you think that we'd be happy to settle down in a cold country? It's rarely under 20 degrees here."

" _Of course_ ," Castiel answered with a grunt and shook his shirt so to get some air under it. Prior to the signing of the contract, Castiel had consulted with the court scientists so he knew that he'd have to expect a warm to sub-tropical climate in Winchester. Nobody could tell him exactly what to expect because while soldiers had brought back reports from the war, no one knew where exactly his new home lay. The Naga had presumably changed their capital after the war had devastated some of the cities. He had been advised to pack for summer time in any case.

Castiel got up from his slightly sweat soaked bed. It wasn't polite for an omega to change clothes in front of a stranger, even though Dean was technically his husband. Considering how touchy Dean sometimes was, Castiel decided that he would just have to wait for a while to get changed. He probably wasn't smelly yet. Castiel stretched, rolling his shoulders and letting his wings spread out as far as possible. He could hear Dean sniff loudly, just the once. Maybe he had brushed his tail on accident. He looked over his shoulder and saw Dean lick his lips. He didn't say anything though.

"So… Where are we?" Castiel asked and Dean looked up at him blankly.

"Huh?"

"Where are we?" Castiel repeated and Dean seemed to snap out of his daze. He pulled aside a curtain and looked out, letting in faint light and the sound of rain and rustling foliage.

"Just on the outer edge of Campbell I'd say. We've recently entered the Great Forest Kansas."

"The Great Forest?" Castiel asked, though he had heard of it in tales. "In the land of snakes a forest old and dark," he cited and Dean lifted his eyebrow in surprise. "with gnarly trees and inky black barks. Monster dwell in the perpetual night, always hungry and devouring all light." Dean frowned, then he lifted his finger.

"First of all, your poetry sucks."

"Enochian is a bit... melodramatic, but the rhymes are not meant to be good, but easy for children to remember," Castiel agreed, then he walked over to Dean. His husband leant out of the way quickly when Castiel climbed over his tail to look out of the small gap in the canvas.

"Dude," Dean said breathlessly but Castiel ignored him. It was hard to say what time of day it was, but it was still light outside. They were travelling on an even road, but the forest seemed eager to reclaim the path. Everything was green and radiant as far as Castiel could see. He heard animals call and chirp and saw the rain drop from the leaves. And where the tree tops were less dense, thin columns of light pierced the forest, getting lost in a layer of hazy mist before they touched the forest floor.

"Second." Castiel turned his head when he heard Dean's voice, dragging his eyes away from the forest. "Kansas Forest covers a lot of ground and almost all of it is on Winchester clan land but it does sprawl into other regions as well. There's only one forest that's bigger than Kansas in Nagaland. It's Purgatory. That's the place you spoke about in your little sucky poem."

"It's not poetry," Castiel reminded him but Dean waved his hand.

"Purgatory is a nasty, creepy place. Many monsters are native there and it's where Leviathan come from."

"Are there Leviathan in your forests…?" Castiel saw Dean sigh and then he shrugged. "You don't know?"

"From time to time we hear reports. Sometimes people disappear. But there are many things in these forests, Castiel. Not only good things," he said, then he balled his hand into a fist and lightly bumped his knuckles into Castiel's shoulder. "But don't worry. I'm a hunter, I know how to protect you." Castiel nodded but didn't answer. It wasn't like Castiel was unable to fend for himself, but Leviathan were another thing. Castiel glimpsed back out of the wagon, peering into where the forest got dense and dark. Did they lurk in the darkness of Kansas forest? There were few things viler than Naga, Metatron had always said. Few things that could snuff out an angel's radiance with claws and teeth like the Leviathan could. Castiel must have been silent for too long, because Dean cleared his throat.

"You alright, Castiel?"

"Of course… I simply feel apprehension because these are strange new lands for me." Castiel sat down where he was, instead of climbing over Dean's tail to get back to his spot. His knees bumped into Dean's hip. Or what Castiel would assume to be Dean's hip. The scales had felt soft against the skin of his knees. Dean didn't pull back this time.

"Sure," Dean said gently. "I promise you're going to like it here. Winchester is a beautiful country." Castiel shot him a small smile and nodded. Meanwhile the wagon took them deeper into Kansas forest.

* * *

 

Castiel was glad when they finally stopped. The rain had picked up, which meant that the wagons were going slower than initially expected and it was already starting to darken by the time Castiel stepped out of the wagon. He kept under his umbrella as the servants were busy unloading the wagons. Moisture clung heavily to the air and despite the lateness of the day the heat seemed to be trapped by the thick foliage. Castiel's wings were starting to drip within minutes of him being out of the wagon and he couldn't simply shake them out with all the Naga around, so he slowly pulled them towards his back, suppressing a shiver when his clothes got damp.

The wagons had stopped in a square, the ground under Castiel's feet was a smooth but slightly slippery mosaic. He looked up from the interlocking geometric shapes in white and blue. There was a house built just at the edge where the square became dense forest again. Judging by how the servants carried Castiel's travelling trunk into the building, Castiel assumed that it was the Winchesters' house. Just like the inn it was a one-story building with a flat roof, but it seemed to disappear straight into the forest, so covered was the roof by foliage. The trees next to the house seemed to have been groomed to interlock above the house, growing above it like a spire. From the roof, thick liana seemed to grow towards neighboring trees and other houses lining the square. Various paved paths led away from the square, each of them wide, but looking to Castiel like tunnels with how tree trunks and vegetation domed above them. When he raised his head and glimpsed past his umbrella he couldn't see the sky. All above was branches, liana and foliage. There even seemed to be bridges made of ropes and wood and whenever some light passed through the thick canopy of leaves, there were glints of light. Lanterns, just like the one Castiel was carrying in his hand, were hung everywhere. But none were lit.

"Castiel, how about we have repast?" Dean appeared from seemingly nowhere and now that he was no longer constrained by the wagon's roof he stood far too tall for Castiel to cover his head with the umbrella. Castiel turned his eyes away from Dean's face to study his tail, which was lying on the wet floor, even the tail end wasn't lifted off the mosaic. There was very little point in covering Dean's head if the rest of his body was going to be wet anyway.

"Alright," Castiel agreed and followed Dean across the square. "Why exactly are you building your houses in rain forests?" Castiel asked when they didn't go to the house, but Dean steered them into one of the tunnel like paths. It was wide enough for two Naga to pass each other comfortably. Castiel almost stepped on Dean's tail when a Naga stopped to stare at him. The disbelief was written all over his face. He wasn't the only one who turned their head to look at Castiel. He was rather visible with his bright umbrella after all.

"Hm?" Dean asked and looked over his shoulder. It was getting darker now because not a lot of light seemed to reach this path. Even though the branches and leaves seemed to interlock tightly, rain still dripped down.

"It's wet and humid. There are too many trees for good city planning and I can imagine that road maintenance isn't easy. And it's dark too." Dean stopped in front of a building that had an awning reaching into the path. Castiel stepped under it with Dean and folded his umbrella.

"Not all Naga tribes build in forests. Some have different terrain preferences," Dean explained, then he held his hand out towards the wide-open doors. Castiel took the invitation and stepped into a wide room with the expected benches. There was another Naga sitting on a bench, just finishing his cleaning routine. He lifted his hand in greeting towards Dean, but then his smile faltered and he seemed to inhale deeply a couple of times.

"Castiel!" Dean said loudly and Castiel gave a start. The Naga's eyes slid through the room before they finally landed on Castiel. "Why don't you get dried?"

"Of course," Castiel answered and put his umbrella into a corner. He sat on the bench farthest away from the strange Naga (who was named Roy, as far as Castiel could gather from Dean greeting him) and pulled a towel from the shelf. "This still seems highly impractical," he commented tiredly.

"Well, you might be able to just pull off your shoots," Dean argued.

"Shoes," Castiel corrected.

"Shoes. But I can't just take my scales off and it's rude to get into a house without at least some cleaning."

"So whose house are we visiting?" Castiel asked, trying his best to ignore the openly staring (or was it glaring?) Naga, who was slow to finish his cleaning routine.

"It's nobody's house. It's a repast house, we're having coffee here, but there surely is some food for you too," Dean explained.

"And you clean yourself so thoroughly even when visiting public places?" Castiel wanted to know, then he looked at his shoes. "In our cities, we are not expected to take off our shoes when going into public places like tea rooms." Dean seemed to think about that for a moment, letting his eyes roam over Castiel's legs. The other Naga took this moment of silence to slip through the second door into the inside of this so-called repast house. Castiel didn't miss the calculating look he had been sent. Dean visibly relaxed when they were alone.

"You can usually slide into buildings that aren't homes without cleaning. But Hagar is almost always wet, they have calling halls so that we can dry up a little bit. No thorough cleaning is necessary. So I suppose you can keep on your shoes," Dean explained and Castiel nodded slowly. Dean studied him and Castiel tilted his head to the side. It was obvious from the small frown appearing on Dean's face that he wanted to say something but was holding himself back.

"What is it?" Castiel prompted when they had spent a tense moment of silence. Dean rubbed the back of his neck and then he slid off the bench. He slowly approached Castiel, lowering his upper body until his face was close to Castiel's.

"I apologize," he said but before Castiel could ask Dean breathed in deeply, then he straightened himself up a little, so that Castiel was eyelevel with Dean's collar bones.

"Did you scent me…?" Castiel asked in confusion. Dean's cheeks were red.

"Your smell is strong. Ever since you woke up. It's not…" Dean cleared his throat in embarrassment. "You know." Castiel didn't, but this wasn't the time to interrupt Dean. "Your scent turns everyone's heads. You saw how the other guy reacted."

"It's warm. I sweated during sleep and haven't had the chance to change or wash," Castiel explained, unsure if he should be embarrassed. "I don't think I smell."

"No, no! It's not like I'm saying that you stink or anything! It's just that your natural omega scent is strong! And that's just… I just don't want you to get weirded out when everyone starts sniffing in there." Dean waved his hands about, clearly more embarrassed about this than Castiel was.

"Alright, I won't," Castiel said and then he turned towards the entry. He was surprised when Dean took a hold of Castiel's wrists, stopping him form leaving the antechamber. Castiel looked up at Dean in surprise and his husband instantly let his hand drop again, lifting both his hands up, palms facing out.

"Just… let me mask your scent, okay?" Dean asked and Castiel turned back towards him.

"Why?" he asked and Dean scrunched up his face. "They will look anyway. It's not like you can hide the fact that I'm an angel."

"I don't mean to hide what you are, Castiel. I simply want to highlight what you are – my husband." Dean lowered himself to Castiel's eyelevel again. "It's not gonna hurt. I'll just brush my wrists across your neck, that should do the trick." Dean rubbed his wrists against his own neck, then he held them out for Castiel. Castiel was unsure what he was supposed to do. "I don't smell too bad, right?" Castiel looked up into Dean's expectant face. He still smelled slightly of junipers, but it was clearly starting to wear off.

"No?" Castiel said and Dean grinned at that. "Do what you must," Castiel allowed, sure that there was no point in arguing about this. He knew that Naga had a better sense of smell than angels did, so maybe he did smell weird to Dean. If it made him feel better to mask Castiel's scent with his own, then so be it. Dean gingerly took a hold of Castiel's jaw, rubbing his thumbs slightly against the hinge of Castiel's jaw, then he let his hands glide lower. He slowly rubbed his wrists against his neck, like his mother did when applying perfume.

"It's not as effective as if I rubbed you with my neck but you know… Propriety and crap."

"You know that I don't know about your propriety and crap. Though I know it would have been weird if you had rubbed your head on me like a dog." Dean withdrew enough to look down at Castiel, his expression mock offended.

"I'll have you know that scent marking is very romantic and sensual."

"Yes of course," Castiel said magnanimously. Dean snorted a laugh, then he gave Castiel a tiny shove towards the entrance.

The repast hall was dimly lit, sparkling glass structures hanging from the rafters and pillars holding up the high ceiling. The fragrance of coffee mixed with the smell of burning herbs hit Castiel's nose. It wasn't exactly pleasant and he felt his eyes water slightly. He rubbed at them before following Dean to what looked to be a small fireplace with wooden benches arranged around it. On the stone tabletop above the fire was a big metal can of coffee. Mugs and spoons hung around a thin metal frame that was attached to the stone top. The stone table was covered by more mosaic and in the middle was a grate on which the coffee pot rested. There were about half a dozen such tables and there were further benches arranged in small alcoves that went all around the hall. Dean and Castiel were currently the only people at that table, but the other tables had about three to six patrons crowded around the coffee.

"Please, have a seat," Dean offered and Castiel sat down on one of the benches. He felt the heat of the low burning fire hit his legs. It reminded him of sitting in a sauna, especially with how humid it still was in this place. "So… Hagar has a very simple coffee etiquette. Just grab a cup and then pour the coffee yourself. The small jars have sugar and spices to add to it. I'll pay so don't worry about it," Dean explained. "I'll go get you something to eat." Castiel nodded and watched Dean slide towards the back end of the hall where there was something like a counter between two alcoves. Castiel carefully pulled a cup from the metal frame and set it on the mosaic top. He grabbed the big kettle by the fabric wrapped handle and poured dark liquid into his cup. It didn't smell as terrible as the odor in the repast hall had led him to believe. He pulled the tops off the small jars to peer inside. It seemed weird to him to put anything other than sugar and milk into his coffee. Since there didn't seem to be any milk Castiel merely spooned some sugar into his cup and stirred. He let his eyes travel through the hall, seeing that most Naga had clearly taken notice of him and were looking at him while talking to each other. All the Naga in here seemed to be men, all wearing longer light robes that were tied with colorful sashes. He heard bits and pieces of what they were saying, but only just enough to know that they were talking about him.

He was glad when Dean came back with a tray, but before he could reach Castiel, a group stopped him.

"Hey, long time no see!" Dean greeted them, his voice loud enough that it carried to Castiel.

"Hey, Dean. I know you were patrolling close to the fowl border, but why did you bring one of them home? Hunting trophy or what?" The group started laughing and the Naga who had spoken up grinned at them, clearly proud of his joke.

"Dude, don't you ever read the news?" Dean said with a frown. With his elbow he motioned towards where Castiels at. "This is Castiel. Castiel of Winchester."

"Aw, he named it," another Naga said, slapping his friend on the upper arm.

"Gordon, can it," Dean grunted.

"Come on, man," Gordon exclaimed, "we're having a great time here. Don't ruin it."

"Ruin it? I'm having a good time, trying to enjoy a cup of coffee with my husband. You're the one who's all up my scales sideways. You can be civil and say hello to him or you guys can kiss my tail feathers." Dean turned away from them and continued on to Castiel's table, he was shaking his head.

"Oh, come on, Princess. Don't be like that!" Gordon called and the men laughed. "We know that you took one for the team so that there's less hassle with the fowl." Gordon looked over at Castiel and lifted his cup towards him in a mock salutation. "But a husband? Come on, Dean."

"What does that even count? We read that you signed a marriage contract with the fowl," another Naga spoke up. "But we talked about it. A marriage is nothing like a mating."

"Oh, so you _talked_ about it, Walt. Clearly whatever conclusions you reached are gonna be binding for all of Nagaland," Dean said disdainfully.

"Don't be dramatic, Winchester," Gordon said, reaching out to pat Dean's side. "You know well enough that whatever the cushion farts up in Winchester decide have very little bearing to the rest of the realm. Your court is not the voice of the people. You of all should know that best."

"Marriage is nothing like a mating," Walt insisted, clearly ignoring the tense discussion between Gordon and Dean. Castiel didn't know if he should be unsettled by Dean not denying Gordon's words. "You should get a proper wife. Enter a legitimate union."

"Not everyone's so backwards to say that the only union out of which could spring a child is a legitimate one," another man of the group said to Walt, but then he looked up at Dean. "But he's not wrong. The capital might be alright with your contract, but not everyone will see it this way. There are many people in the outskirts, Walt included, that will question the validity of your marriage to an angel male." Castiel frowned. Nobody had mentioned that potential issue before. Was there a chance that Naga would question the legitimacy of their marriage? The whole peace treaty was built upon the mutual acceptance of the marriage as a valid partnership. Castiel drank his coffee, frowning at the burning taste, then he got up from the bench. The Naga men, Dean included, clearly startled when Castiel approached them. Dean quickly put the tray down on the table, pushing over Gordon's coffee cup and spilling it over Roy who gave a grunt of protest.

"Guys, this is really none of your business," Dean said hastily, then he turned towards Castiel. "I'm so sorry, Castiel. They're dicks."

"Maybe so, but I hear your gossip anyway, no matter whether I'm sitting back there or standing here," Castiel said and looked at the Naga men, some of them flinching away under his gaze, others, like Gordon, staring right back at him.

"We don't like angels, you're not welcome," Gordon said and while his Naga buddies and Dean all hissed in surprise, Castiel was rather impressed that he didn't beat around the bush. But contrary to what Dean might think, his words didn't quite come as a revelation.

"Gordon!" Dean shouted sharply. "Watch your tongue when talking to a royal omega!" Even though Gordon hadn't been impressed by any of Dean's previous reprimands, this surprisingly made him flinch as if burned.

"What…?"

"My husband is an omega and even if you clearly don't respect me – neither as prince nor as your former fellow hunter – then you should at least respect my omega."

Silence descended on the table and now that it was quiet here, Castiel noticed that all conversation had been suspended in the hall. He looked around and saw all patrons of the coffee house stare at them.

"I should go," Castiel said and looked up at Dean, "I can find my way back on my own." He didn't wait for Dean's answer before he turned away from the group and steered towards the exit.

That exchange had been highly unpleasant. He was used to being under people's scrutiny and he clearly hadn't expected this to be easy. But he couldn't help feeling embarrassed.

"Great! Thank you!!" Castiel could hear Dean shout which was met with some other calls but the doors closed behind Castiel and he was back in the anteroom, where he startled two Naga who where in the middle of cleaning.

"Good evening," he said sharply, then he left that place too. The door behind him opened.

"Castiel! Wait!" Dean took no time at all to catch up, ducking low so that he didn't quite tower over Castiel, keeping up with Castiel's brisk pace. "Ouch!" Dean shouted when the umbrella poked him in the head. "Would you slow down? You're gonna collide with someone!" Castiel heaved a sigh and slowed down, which wasn't a bad idea because the Naga were slow to move out of his way, actually most didn't even seem to notice him right away. It was dark now, the last light of day fading away. Castiel clutched the handle of his umbrella and tensed his shoulders. His wings spread out slightly, pushing at Dean but he didn't move away as he usually would.

"I'm really sorry about that. Maybe I should have taken you to drink coffee in private instead of subjecting you to these guys. "

"A bit of an embarrassment is not an issue. You don't need to coddle me. But you could have told us back in Eden that people wouldn't accept the contract," Castiel said sharply. Dean heaved a sigh at that. Castiel noticed that he was carrying the tray with food with him and for some reason it made some of his anger lift.

"Most people will. You heard Wally. Hagar is a bit of a backwater place, Gordon and his buddies are backwater bags of dicks," Dean said but Castiel just shook his head in confusion. They came out of the path back into the square. Apparently they had just been gone long enough for the wagons to have been unloaded, but some servants were still lingering, securing the wagons and guiding the animals away. "We Winchesters might rule the country, but Nagaland's unification is recent. There are other powerful but smaller kingdoms, such as Campbell or Talbot. And there are many, many tribes all over the land. Most of them have their own rules." They reached the mansion and Castiel followed Dean into yet another antechamber. Castiel was already getting tired of all the time lost having to sit and watch Dean groom himself. Dean gave him the tray with food and Castiel was grateful both for the food and also Dean's apparent determination to rush through his cleaning.

"I've been to many different places during my service with the army," Dean continued, roughly scrubbing at his tail. "And I've seen old rules implemented. You know that I like both men and women, right?" Castiel nodded. "And that's usually okay, but many tribes will not acknowledge a mating between same sex couples based on the fact that they cannot have offspring. Naga are slow to reproduce, so I get where the old laws come from, but…" Dean sighed and let his head hang, temporarily suspending his scrubbing. "I've seen marriages and matings dissolved because a couple couldn't conceive within 10 years. Sometimes the period is even shorter. I've been in villages where Naga men used this rule to mate and then abandon as many women as they could. It sucks. Some people suck."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Castiel told him, unsure how to comfort Dean who clearly was upset. Dean sighed and then he continued to brush his tail. Dean remained silent and Castiel turned the tray around on his knees. "You shocked them into silence though. I was surprised." Dean had to chuckle at that.

"I did, didn't I?"

"Are Naga omegas scary or sacred?"

"Not quite sacred, but up there somewhere," Dean explained and rubbed his tail dry. "I know that you guys have an inverted hierarchy. Omegas are very rare here, so people guard them well. Not everyone treats them well however. Gordon might be a dick, but he at least knows how to respect an omega."

"Well, I suppose he's got at least one good thing going for him," Castiel joked and there was relief written all over Dean's face. Castiel tilted his head at him. "Were you worried?"

"You were angry at me, of course I was worried," Dean said and pulled at the cord so that a servant would open the doors for them. Unsurprisingly, it was dark inside the house and Castiel saw fairly little of its interior. It was less humid in here, a bit cooler and it smelled fresh, like rain and not suffocating like it did back in the coffee house. Dean stopped at a door and opened it for Castiel.

"This is the room closest to the one I use," Dean said, "it's not too big, at least for Naga standards, but I hope that it's to your liking." Castiel stepped into the room. It had the familiar high ceiling and cool mosaic patterns covered the entrance part of the room, but then changed into smooth terracotta tiles. There was a section of the room that was secluded away behind curtains and Castiel supposed they hid the bed. There were big glass doors leading to a veranda.

"It's nice," Castiel said and Dean grinned at him. Castiel walked over to the table to put down his tray with food and that's when he noticed a box sitting on a couch. "What's…" Castiel pointed towards it and Dean turned around to look at the couch. Castiel watched his husband flinch and then snatch the box away. His entire face was becoming red.

"Isn't that for me?" Castiel wondered, intrigued more by Dean's mysterious reaction than the box itself. It had looked rather plain, with a yellow ribbon around it and some lines on the cover that Dean was clearly trying to hide.

"Nope! No," Dean lied and Castiel eyed him suspiciously, but decided that it wasn't worth pursuing right now. He was rather hungry so he was more interested in the tray of food on the table before him.

"Do you want to stay here or go back to the coffee house?" Castiel asked and looked around the room. There were obviously no chairs but a small bench that hosted a flower pot that was probably the right height to serve as a chair. Castiel put a pillow on it and deemed it good enough for him. Dean seemed torn, turning the box around in his hands, but in the end he joined him.

"It's a shame that you couldn't get to enjoy the coffee," Dean said after a moment of silence in which he had watched Castiel eat. "It was a somewhat bad first impression of Winchester…"

"I wouldn't say that," Castiel told him kindly. "Though I am not entirely sure I understand why you built this village – Hagar was it?" Dean nodded. "Into a rainforest… You said different tribes have different preferences, but the humidity is certainly not doing this place any favors."

"Says the Lord of Deluge Town?" Dean teased, drumming his hands on the box.

"The climate in Rains Landing is different. Besides, there is plenty of fresh air. Here the foliage seems to be so thick that there's not a lot of wind."

"We Naga do like the cover of the trees," Dean said and the tone of his voice made Castiel look up. Dean lifted his hands and pointed his index fingers to the ceiling. "We're good at moving through the forest, better than most things that might chase us. And on top of that there can be no attacks from above."

"Attack from above?" Castiel asked and Dean turned his hands down to point towards Castiel. "Oh." He looked down at his plate. "Right."

"This got depressing fast, so maybe we should call it a night."

"Talking about the wars in our past is not depressing, it's a simple fact," Castiel reminded him and Dean shrugged. "Are we to continue on to the capital tomorrow?"

"Yes. As soon as the rain lets up. I suppose we should be on our way in the afternoon," Dean said, then he pulled the box away when Castiel made a grab for it and held it over his head. "I said this wasn't for you!"

"I'm pretty sure you're lying," Castiel replied. Dean winked at him and then he went to the door. "Good night, Dean."

"Good night, Castiel," his husband said and then the door closed behind Dean with a soft click.

Castiel allowed himself to heave a sigh and to let his wings slowly spread out. He was exhausted. This house wasn't quiet; he could hear the raucous laughter echo outside his door and the flame in his lamp hissed in the humid air. Castiel got up from his makeshift chair and looked around the room, finding a door leading to a bathroom of sorts. He took the time to wash and comb out his hair, then he went back into his room and padded over to the curtained section. A mattress lay on the floor, surrounded by colorful rugs and piled high with pillows and blankets. His travelling trunk was standing next to it. Castiel changed into a short-sleeved shirt made out of light material and put the oil lamp on the trunk. He settled down in bed and dimmed the light of the oil lamp.

In the darkness he listened to the sound of the house, of his new family speaking to each other, their voices ebbing and flowing, a wordless, senseless white noise that kept away the unfamiliar silence of Hagar.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Big thanks to [bella-monoxide](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bella_Monoxide/) for her beta skills! ♥

 

Castiel wasn't vain, not at all, but he was still glad that the servant girl didn't pull aside the curtains around Castiel's bed when she came to wake him.

He had slept poorly to say the least and was now properly exhausted. Even though it was early enough in the morning, Castiel was already feeling sweat beading on his brow and the sheet under his back cling to him uncomfortably. He could hear the swift swish of the servant setting the table and Castiel felt like he should at least make an effort at being civil even if he probably was far from presentable. He quickly changed out of his sweaty shirt into a new one, glad that he had listened to the court stylist for once and had packed far too many clothes.

"Good morning," Castiel said and the servant gave a start. He saw her nostrils flare which Castiel took as a sign that his "natural scent" was coming through again. The servant girl was staring, the kettle she was holding hovering centimeters above the table top.

"Good morning," she finally said and put down the kettle. "Prince Dean has asked me to set the table for your… morning feast." Castiel smiled up at her and nodded.

"Thank you very much," he said, "I will quickly refresh myself and then partake."

"Your husband will be joining you shortly," the servant girl told him and then she left the room before Castiel could verbalize his surprise. He wondered if he should make the effort to get washed. He pulled his bag of toiletries out of his suitcase and walked to the connecting bathroom. He tried to rub off the worst of the sweat and humidity, then he set about getting his hair into shape. He undid his braids and combed his hair out. If it continued to be hot then he'd rather have his hair away from his neck, so he quickly braided and pinned his hair to the back of his head. He heard the door open just when he was squinting at himself in the mirror, hoping that he looked alright, even though he was wearing little more than his underwear and a thin, loose shirt over it. It was too warm for the morning gown.

Dean was bending over the table, looking into the pots containing Castiel's breakfast. Dean turned his head towards him and smiled.

"Good morning!" he called, very cheerfully. Castiel sat on his chair and tried not to be too grouchy about his tiredness.

"Good morning, Dean," he said. Dean studied him for an extended moment, but whatever conclusions he had reached he kept to himself. Castiel was too tired to worry about it and focused on the food instead. On the tray were different kinds of fruit and another bowl of porridge, but also some soup and small hard buns that smelled spicy. It was a slightly weird combination but Castiel wasn't picky.

"Do you also want some?" Castiel asked when Dean didn't do anything but watch. "Or some tea or coffee? I think there's both."

"I'm still digesting the last meal, but I'd be happy to take some coffee," Dean said, but made no move to grab one of the two cups. Castiel chewed the dry spicy bread, observing Dean with a raised eyebrow.

"Are you waiting to be served?" Castiel asked, "Am I expected to serve you?"

"Uh… Sorry, I'm just used to being waited on during morning coffee when out of the house," Dean said sheepishly and reached out to grab the kettle. Castiel continued to eat his breakfast, keeping his eyes on Dean, who poured coffee for himself and for Castiel, then he drank that silently, the tips of his ears red.

"People at home have tried to gather information on how I might be expected to behave at your court. If I am expected to serve you, you'll have to tell me," Castiel told him. Dean fidgeted with his cup but eventually he shrugged.

"I spent most of the time away from court and am not exactly the right person to ask about how we're to behave."

"But you know enough to expect me to serve you coffee," Castiel observed and Dean winced at that. "No need to be embarrassed about it, Dean."

"No… Actually I was… uhm… Waiting to see what you would do," Dean confessed. "During feasts, the family circle's highest alpha starts the event, while it's the highest-ranking omega who usually serves coffee to family or guests. At court we have servants of course, so I don't know… It's your coffee and I'm your guest."

"So this isn't a married couple scenario, but a guest and host one?" Castiel wanted to clarify and Dean shrugged again.

"No… I mean… Sort of?" Dean asked and then he frown at Castiel when he laughed at him. "Come on, dude. I'm trying to figure out how to navigate this scenario. It's not like we usually have this breakfast thing."

"I was actually surprised that you would come here for breakfast," Castiel said, studying Dean who was apparently more than ready for the day. He was already properly dressed (or as dressed as a Naga could be, Castiel couldn't quite judge their state of undress yet).

"I wanted to see you and not leave you alone for too long because you're a stranger here," Dean explained, drinking his coffee without stirring milk or sugar into it. Castiel definitely needed some sugar to get a proper start into the day. "You do look kinda…" Dean made a vague gesture with his hands and pursed his lips. It was likely that he was looking for a kind way to say "like crap".

"I didn't sleep well," Castiel confessed. Dean's eyes travelled to the sleeping section but Castiel raised his hand before he could come to wrong conclusions. "The bed was fine. I often don't sleep well when away from home. I'll get used to my new bed swiftly once we're at the capital." Dean didn't look convinced but eventually he nodded. "Do you think I'm presentable enough to go outside?" Slowly a smile crept up on Dean's face, then he adopted an exaggeratedly thoughtful expression, rubbing his chin with his hands and looking Castiel up and down. Castiel lifted an eyebrow at him and then he shoveled some porridge in his mouth. He didn't miss how Dean tensed at that, his fingers slipping down his chin and his eyes widening slightly. He regained his composure very quickly, but Castiel knew that frequent eating meant getting ready for mating for a Naga couple.

"You're teasing me," Dean said gruffly.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm merely enjoying my breakfast."

"Yeah. I know why the servant girl didn't stay in here to wait on us. You smelling like that _and_ eating? It's downright filthy," Dean said with a laugh and when Castiel frowned at him he poked his tongue out at him.

"So I should take a proper bath," Castiel concluded with a small smile. He enjoyed the casual, flirtatious exchange and it apparently did wonders to his mood.

"You don't stink. But you're just very obviously omega," Dean said.

"Maybe you're mistaking my sweat for omega scent," Castiel teased and Dean rolled his eyes at him. "But very well. I will make sure to wash before going out in public." He continued eating while Dean drank two cups of coffee and, after being pestered, took a very small bite of one of the buns.

"I have to appreciate your hospitality, I suppose," Dean said after swallowing, then he patted his stomach. "Even if it costs me."

"Dean, that was one bite. Surely, you're not going to keel over because of it," Castiel commented and Dean laughed at that. "But you don't have to. You can just tell me no if you don't want to do something I suggest." Dean lifted his eyebrow.

"I thought you were the boss of me?"

"Because I'm an omega?" Castiel asked and Dean nodded. "Don't think I forgot the face you made when I pretended to order you around."

"What can I say? I'm all alpha," Dean said with a shrug and Castiel laughed at him. "Though I assume that doesn't mean anything good for you angels."

"Not necessarily, no," Castiel said with a small grin. "Though I know it means good things for you Naga, so you can show me what being all alpha means." Dean burst out laughing. Castiel lifted his coffee to his lips to hide his smile. Castiel finally understood what Gabriel had meant when he claimed that flirting wasn't a chore you had to suffer through if talking with unmarried alphas. It was actually surprisingly enjoyable.

* * *

 

Even though Castiel would have preferred for their journey to continue he didn't protest when Dean offered to show him around the village. He saw John and Mary through a wide open door, lying on benches on what looked like a winter garden. There seemingly was just enough of a gap in the trees overhead that rays of light managed to pierce down and illuminated the glass covered porch.

"My parents are always lazy this early in the morning when they're travelling," Dean said when Castiel made to wish them a good morning. "You'll see enough of them once we're back in the capital." Castiel followed his husband out into the open square, finding it to be friendlier looking in the day time. Rays of light illuminated the mosaic floor, making it sparkle and shine. He followed Dean, walking at his hip again because he didn't want to accidentally stumble over his tail while looking around. They walked down what Castiel assumed to be the main road but the further away from the square they got, the denser the vegetation around them became. The air was heavy with humidity and warmth. Even though it wasn't raining now, all the leaves that grew between the low buildings dripped, just as the ropes and bridge-like formations arching above their heads did. Dean guided Castiel into a tunnel and Castiel momentarily enjoyed the shade.

"I'm glad that I can show you around Hagar. It might not be a big town, but I don't think we'll stop again on the rest of the journey. But pretty much everything until the capital is villages like this one, so you're not really missing out on the Winchester experience," Dean said and waved at Naga who poked their head out of open doors to shout a greeting at Dean. Castiel was glad that Dean was distracted, otherwise he might have noticed the sour expression flitting over Castiel's face.

"Is the capital the same? Built into a forest?" They got out of the tunnel and found themselves on another big square. These squares reminded Castiel of the big, domed market hall back at home. There seemed to be houses circling the square and more tunnels leading away from it. The sky was invisible through the leaves. With a sinking heart Castiel realized that he probably couldn't live like this; unable to see the sky, unable to feel the wind rustling through his wings.

"No," Dean finally said and Castiel lifted his head to look up at him. "The capital was built a bit elevated, on a grassy plain. The old part of town is still inside the forest, but not the palace." Castiel breathed in relief. Dean bent down lightly to be closer to Castiel's face, studying him with concern.

"You seem… upset," Dean said and Castiel shook his head.

"I'm glad to hear it," he told him and Dean looked at him in confusion. " I like being able to see the sky." Dean seemed surprised by that and lifted his head to the verdant canopy overhead.

"Oh," he muttered, then he looked back down at Castiel. "You're alright, though? It'll be some more time before we're out of the forest."

"Of course," Castiel assured him and while there remained a small crease on Dean's forehead, he nodded eventually and they continued on their way.

More Naga were out and about than yesterday and Castiel had to avoid bumping into others more than once. It had been easier to be noticed with an umbrella. He stepped out of the way when two younger Naga passed Dean in the street, gracefully weaving around the other Naga, chasing each other. It was odd for Castiel to watch them run, if it could even be called that. But he had watched for one second too long and had to swiftly back away. His heels hit Dean's (he hoped it was Dean's) tail and he stumbled backwards over it and landed in a bunch of empty crates next to a shop.

"Shit, Castiel! Are you alright?" Castiel huffed at the already dulling pain all across his backside. Dean bent down and grabbed Castiel at the hips to put him back on his feet. Castiel took a sharp breath of surprise. Dean's palms were warm when they pressed against his hips, which was such a weird place for someone to hold him, but it was far from disagreeable.

"I'm fine," Castiel told him. "How about you? I think I stepped on you." Dean shook his head and withdrew his hands. He was slow to raise to his full height, almost as if he wanted to provide a barrier between Castiel and the other Naga. Past Dean's body he could see that the noise of the crash had drawn the looks of a couple of Naga, who were poking their torsos and heads out of shops and had stopped to watch in the street. Castiel knew how to appreciate the care and he felt embarrassment bubble up at this graceless display. But he squashed it down.

"You just stumbled over it. Weird feeling actually," Dean said with a toothy grin. "Your feet are so small. No wonder you're easily pushed off them." Castiel didn't reply and Dean bent over him again, his nose close to Castiel's forehead. "You're sure you okay? We can go back if you'd prefer." To some extent Cas would prefer that, but Dean had been so excited to show him around Hagar, Castiel didn't have the heart to deny him this.

"It's alright. But maybe I should walk closer to you so that I'm not being run over."

"Sure," Dean said and put his hand on Castiel's shoulder, pulling him close to his body until Castiel could feel the warmth of his scales. Castiel could see the Naga on the street studying the two of them, but there was no open hostility. Gordon's words still rang in Castiel's head. He wasn't welcome here and it was clear that Naga didn't have the same rules of hospitality, so Castiel half expected to be ambushed whenever a Naga frowned down at him. But Dean's presence was a comfort. He took him quietly and slowly through the sizeable town, made up of a network of squares and interconnecting tunnels. The houses looked all pretty much the same, even though they were decorated and painted differently and the vegetation around them gave them varying shapes. There were many open doors now, allowing glimpses into the antechambers. They seemed to get less elaborate as they moved on, the forest becoming denser and pushing against the man-made structures more fiercely.

"This is the old part of town. They've mostly made it an artisan district since most of the workshops are also here," Dean explained. Castiel backed into the wet tunnel wall when he and Dean let another Naga pass. It was now properly humid and he guessed that they were reaching midday. "You can buy some things if you want!" Dean said cheerfully and when he was turned away Castiel quickly wiped the sweat off his face with the bottom of his shirt and tried to tug the loose hair back into his hairdo. He did have to look at least partially dignified because he was here in Naga land to represent all of angelkind. Dripping with sweat and hair in disarray was hardly a good look on him. Castiel heaved a sigh and then followed his husband. Dean looked completely at ease with this humidity. Even his hair continued to look perfectly styled. Castiel looked down his body to his scales. They did look slightly wet though, shining brightly in the dulled sunlight. Dean came to a stop in front of a building. There was a wide opening leading into a tiled hall as well as a high up counter piled with sparkling boxes, clay pots and other trinkets. That probably was the storefront and Castiel could see the underside of a Naga's throat as she leant out of the window to greet Dean.

"Hello your majesty! Good to know you're finally coming home," she said and Castiel watched her golden jewelry that rested on her collarbones and dipped down in golden chains to her bosom. She wore a partially transparent gown fastened with golden brooches at her shoulders.

"Duty calls," Dean said with an exaggeratedly drawn out sigh.

"Oh I heard! Treaty with the fowl? Seems a shame to have you off the mating bazar!" she joked and Dean laughed at that. "And where's your mate? Didn't you take her?" Dean pointed down at Castiel and the Naga woman looked at him in confusion. Then she leant over her counter and spotted Castiel.

"By the great serpent. She's tiny! Her head doesn't even reach the counter!"

"I'm actually tall among my kind," Castiel replied flatly and the Naga woman gave a start, hitting her head on the top of the shop window, making the windpipes and glass decorations tinkle.

"Ruffle my tail feathers!" she hissed, rubbing her head, then she disappeared inside the shop. Castiel shot Dean a worried look, but Dean only grinned down at him. The woman came back and handed something that looked like a wooden stool down to Castiel. "There you go." Castiel took it and put it on the ground to step up on it. The stool brought him about to the height of Dean's chest and allowed him to actually look at the counter.

"Thank you," he said and the Naga woman waved at him. "Call if you find anything you like." With that she disappeared into the interior of the store, tending to another customer. Dean didn't move away from Castiel even though Castiel's wings occasionally brushed Dean's chest when they moved to look at things. Castiel should probably focus on the items before him, but his mind was stuck on the fact that Dean was close to him now and didn't jump away every single time Castiel got into his extensive personal space bubble. Of course, he still occasionally kept his distance but it didn't come across as dismissive anymore. It was almost like trying to tame a shy animal and getting it to the point where it allowed you to pet it. Castiel huffed a laugh.

"What?" Dean asked and Castiel took one of the boxes into his hands. It had a mosaic top, showing a small image of a serpent (which wasn't all that surprising) made out of tiny shards of glass.

"I was simply thinking about how you don't seem to mind that much that my wings are touching you." Dean tensed and his expression turned from relaxed to alarmed. "I'm glad, Dean." His husband breathed out evenly, some of the tension leaving him and then he bumped his fist into Castiel's shoulder gently.

"You had me worried there for a second that I was overstepping because I wanted to keep you in view," Dean said and Castiel shook his head at him, smiling. Then he turned back to the items. The craftsman's ship was wonderful.

"Do you want that box?"

"I was just thinking how it would be good to hold my hairpins and ribbons," Castiel mused, turned it around in his hands. "But I only have angelic pounds with me. I don't think they'd be of much use here."

"Don't be foolish. I'm paying for you of course!" Dean said and took the box out of Castiel's hand. He went inside to hold the box to the Naga woman and coins exchanged their hands before Castiel had time to get a word in. It was slightly weird to have an alpha pay for him, but considering that he had no Naga money, it was a necessity.

Castiel returned the stool and then he followed Dean through the street. They didn't really linger anywhere, but Castiel did notice the lamps that hung everywhere. They were made of glass, colorful shards fixed together or intricately woven metal with colored glass in the gaps.

"They're mostly decorative, because we don't actually need them," Dean explained when Castiel asked about it. "but Hagar is famous for its lamps and lanterns. We all like how they throw sparks of light on the wall and floors."

"Hey, princess!" Castiel and Dean came to a stop, finding Gordon leaning against the wall of a shop with what looked like a pipe in hand. Dean put his hand on Castiel's shoulder and gently but insistently put him behind his body. Gordon noticed however and even though he glared at Castiel he then begrudgingly inclined his upper body downwards in what must have counted as a bow.  Castiel of course had to return the sign of respect (however unwilling Gordon was to bow to him) and nodded at him.

"So, Dean, the guys and I are going to have drinks and play cards over at Roy's place tonight after patrol. You in?" Castiel decided that he didn't have to listen in to this conversation and instead steered towards the closest shop. They sold lamps too, but also what looked to be lanterns. Castiel didn't think it wise to go into the shop without Dean in case the Naga inside reacted negatively to his presence. He couldn't quite see the counter but the lanterns were still visible. They were an orb of glass around which thick robes were wrapped and then attached to a long stick. It was starting to frustrate him how everything was so high up and he was sure that this was what he had to deal with in the future. Maybe he'd have to carry a small ladder around everywhere. That would probably look ridiculous.

It wasn't long before Dean was back at his side, seeming irritated.

"Are you meeting up with Gordon?" Castiel asked and Dean shook his head.

"We'll be leaving Hagar before nightfall as far as I know," Dean said, "and I'm in no mood for his bitching." Castiel looked up at Dean, who was now fiddling with the things on the counter. He seemed agitated but trying to seem collected.

"Why does he call you princess?" Castiel wanted to know, "this is not like people not knowing what I identify as because I'm a male omega." He looked around if there was a root or something he could step on. There was only Dean's tail. Castiel looked down at it.

"No, Gordon's just a dick," Dean grumbled, "he's been doing it ever since we were on patrol together. Thought a prince was too soft and pampered to make it out there. And he's not the only one, though I could convince most people that I know what I'm doing."

"Are you disappointed that you were called back to court?" Castiel asked and saw Dean take a deep breath and exhaling it on a silent sigh. There was a measure of unhappiness in his expression that Castiel could understand. Their union was good for the future of their countries, but it demanded personal sacrifice of both. The unfinished business back at home grated on Castiel even though he knew that Michael would do a wonderful job as Anna's advisor.

"Maybe?" Dean said and shook his head, "but hey!" Dean exclaimed and his expression quickly shifted to a big, toothy grin. "I got a husband now and I doubt I'll have to go a 100 percent domestic for you."

"Definitely not. You don't strike me like a house husband," Castiel said and then his eyes were again drawn to the counter, next the floor. He knew he shouldn't.

"Nah, but- what are you doing?" Dean asked when he saw Castiel lift his foot. A second later Castiel was standing on Dean's tail and Dean's mouth snapped shut, his expression wide-eyed. Castiel could see the counter now and selected one of the lanterns to buy. He was quick to get the attention of the vendor. The Naga shot Dean a confused look but she took the Naga dollars Castiel handed her for the lantern. Castiel got back down on the ground, looking his lantern over with pleasure. Dean however gave a whole-body shudder that started at his head and rippled through him to the fluffy end of his tail.

"Fuck," Dean hissed, then he looked at the wet imprints of Castiel's soles on his tail. "You can't just step on me!" He seemed more flustered than angry about Castiel's impertinence so Castiel took the end of his skirt to wipe at the scales. They were warm and apart from the wetness Castiel had brought to it, Dean's tail seemed to be actually mostly dry.

"I apologize," he said and Dean made a grimace, his mouth twitching as if he wanted to say something. He shot his tail another glance, then he was apparently ready to continue on. "You angels seriously need a talk about personal boundaries."

"Does no one ever touch your tail? Not your family or your friends?" Castiel asked and Dean frowned down at him.

"Of course they do, but you're _misusing_ my tail. It's not furniture…!"

"Angels help each other up all the time," Castiel said calmly. "If I needed to reach something that was too far up then I could climb on one of my siblings or they gave me leg-up."

"A leg-up," Dean repeated, sounding unimpressed. "I feel like you're bullshitting me, Castiel."

"I actually am not," Castiel insisted. "You don't have legs so I can't show you how it's done. And considering how you are about my feet touching any part of you I can't make you do it either." Dean seemed to still be skeptical about what Castiel was telling him, but he apparently decided to let it drop.

They went through another connecting tunnel and reached a square that echoed with the sounds of children screaming. Castiel wiped his hand over his face again. It was properly hot now. Light was streaming through the foliage. There was a big building opposite them and small Naga were tossing a ball around.

"It's the school. They're on midday break now," Dean explained, when he guided Castiel around the square. There didn't seem to be any shops anymore, rather more houses that were all connected. The children seemed to notice Dean and Castiel because they started calling to Dean. Castiel saw Dean's expression change from already cheerful to delighted. He gave Castiel's shoulder a squeeze and then he hurried over to the kids who instantly started tugging at him. Castiel was surprised to see how apparently everyone knew who Dean was.

"Prince Dean! Who's that?" one of the children shouted and Castiel saw them point at him. Castiel sent a look to Dean but Dean motioned for him to come closer, his face still open and inviting. So Castiel stepped closer to them and suddenly found himself surrounded by a dozen children. Other than what he'd come to learn of adult Naga, the children didn't seem to care a bit about personal space. The children were a great deal smaller than Dean but they clearly tried to stand up tall, keeping as much of their bodies off the ground as possible, though some clearly wobbled whenever they tried. Most of the children were Castiel's height, some shorter.

"What a surprise to see Naga who don't tower above me," Castiel said and looked up at Dean, grinning at him.

"This is Castiel of Winchester. He's my…" Dean looked at Castiel, his expression suddenly shy. "He's my omega."

"Woah! Your omega!!" The children talked excitedly amongst themselves for a while.

"You picked a weird one," one kid said and looked Castiel all over. "Where is her tail?"

"Yeah and what's with the feathers??!" another shouted.

"Castiel is a boy," Dean corrected which got him incredulous whispers.

"I'm an angel," Castiel explained which got him wide-eyed stares. One of the kids looked at Dean with a confused and almost disappointed expression.

"I thought angels were super big! But your omega is so small! Is that because he's an omega?" The kid turned to Cas. "Are omega angels small?" Before Castiel could answer another kid spoke up excitedly:

"The stories of the war always sounded like you were super strong giants! Why did we almost lose against small people?" Dean had to laugh at that.

"Maybe we're not as big as you are, but we are still strong." The children shrieked and demanded him to prove it.

"Woah! No, certainly not! He's not a circus animal!" Dean said, nipping Castiel's thoughts about lifting the stone bench not far away in the bud. "And Castiel is an omega, not a soldier."

"Awww, you're not fun Prince Dean," one of the children grumbled and the others agreed loudly. Castiel looked up at his husband with a lifted eyebrow.

"Physical strength in omega and alpha angels is basically the same," he informed him but the kids had already found a new topic to latch on:

"If you two are mates, then why is there no mark on Castiel?"

"How will you have babies if Castiel looks so weird?"

"Weird…?" Castiel repeated with a small frown.

"We have a political arrangement. Maybe you can ask your family about it or your teachers. His family and my family rule our respective countries. In order for us to be friends they sent Castiel so that we can become a family."

"That's boring," one of the Naga said.

"Maybe, but that's how expanding family circles works," Dean told them and the kids seemed to accept that. The kids were still lingering, asking questions and poking at Castiel's feathers and legs until the school bell rang and they had to go back in.

"Sorry about them," Dean said with a laugh, when Castiel combed his hand through his wings to straighten his feathers. "They don't really know yet how to keep their hands to themselves."

"That's alright. I'm glad that they were so open about my presence here," Castiel said and then he rolled his shoulders, shaking out his wings and holding them spread for a moment to let some air hit his back. It was still far too hot for Castiel's liking. Dean made a small sound of surprise, even though Castiel was careful not to hit Dean with his wings. When Castiel turned around slightly to look at him, Dean was looking right back at him, his eyes widened. Dean's eyes flitted over Castiel's wings but Castiel didn't have the time to feel self-conscious of how bad they looked in this humid weather, because Dean lifted his hand to point towards the tunnel leading away from the square.

"Should we go back? I think we probably move on soon," Dean suggested and Castiel agreed. He folded his wings and followed Dean back through this maze of squares and tunnels.

* * *

 

After Castiel had a quick lunch of bread and fruit while sitting on the platform of his and Deans' wagon, the party of Naga was ready to move on. Castiel wanted to spend as much time as possible outside of the wagon, which felt like a furnace to him.

"We can walk after the wagon, you know? We don't have to go inside," Dean said, appearing at Castiel's side. Dean's eyes dropped from Castiel's sweat dripping face to his legs. Castiel had taken his skirt off, sitting on the wagon in nothing but linen shorts and a top that was a bit of fabric covering his chest and strings that went around his neck and back. It was actually his summer pajamas but Dean didn't have to know that. Dean's eyes travelled over his thighs, his knees, following the movement of Castiel's toes when he wiggled them.

"Sure," Castiel said, "I don't mind walking." Dean snapped out of his trance when Castiel got up to put on his shoes.

"You're not so fond of the heat, are you?" Dean asked with a small laugh when Castiel wiped his face yet again.

"It's not the heat. I dislike the humidity," Castiel told him. "Everything is wet."

"The capital isn't that bad. You'll see," Dean assured him, following the wagon once the company moved and Castiel was still sitting on the platform, tying his shoes. Dean waved at the Naga they passed.

"You're loved by everyone, aren't you?"

"I sure hope so, because I'm awesome," Dean assured him with a cheeky grin and Castiel rolled his eyes fondly. "I've worked hard at proving and making a name for myself. So it's good to see that not everyone thinks I'm a soft-bellied princeling."

"Well, Metatron certainly didn't think that," Castiel assured him and Dean looked actually pleased at that. Alphas…

* * *

 

They walked for hours. The forest seemed never ending, a mass of shifting greens and animal calls. Castiel and Dean mostly walked in silence, having both fallen slightly behind of their wagon, but still not at the very back of the caravan. Castiel breathed a sigh in relief when the air finally became tolerable again. The light faded, the sounds echoing through the darkening forests just off the path changed. A soft spray of rain quickly stopped again, fog rising, making the path before Castiel hazy.

He was starting to feel like he was in one of those tunnels back in Hagar. The darker it got the more he felt like the forest was closing in on him. It was a strange feeling that started to press on his chest. Dean slithered silently beside him, as agile on this road of packed dirt as he had been on the pavement. Castiel's wished the wagon was closer now because he had foolishly left his lantern there and now it was getting dark very fast.

"Are you alright?" Castiel almost jumped when Dean suddenly spoke and Castiel looked up at him, seeing his husband tower above him. He was holding a spear inside his hand now, with a sharp gleaming tip. When had he got that one? Castiel didn't even have his angel sword which was back in the wagon, together with his normal clothes and the holster. How foolish was he to walk around in a pajama and no weapon in strange lands? "Castiel… Your scent is off," Dean said and Castiel wanted to answer, but there was a loud noise far too close and he looked into the forest, seeing something dash away, it's eyes gleaming when it looked back to the path. "And you're acting skittish as well." Castiel took a few deep breaths, letting the fragrant, warm air stream into his lungs.

"It's alright," he said. "It's alright. Just the dark." Dean was silent for a moment.

"Yes. It's just the night. Nothing to be afraid of," he assured him gently. In theory Castiel knew that. But there were rustles everywhere and not a single source of light. Next to him and all around was the slow slide of scales on the ground. A heavy dragging sound. Nearby there was now the gurgling of water.

"Just ponds," Dean said when Castiel stared in the direction of the sound of water, seeing nothing but darkness, hearing nothing but the roar of some animal. "Hang on." And Dean was gone from his side. Castiel thought about standing still and waiting, but in the end he started down at his feet, watching the ground and trying not to let his eyes stray. A light appeared in his field of vision and there was Dean, with Castiel's new lantern and a soft smile on his face. Castiel took it from him, sending a grateful look Dean's way.

For a while Castiel was comforted by his light, but it was getting steadily darker until Castiel really only saw vague shapes outside the small circle of light his lantern provided. When he swung his lantern around in the direction of yet another suspicious sound he saw blinking eyes and the reflection of the light on a body of water close by, just behind a thin line of trees. There were weird shapes gliding through the foliage and into the water. It looked like serpents. There was a weird scent in the air, something unfamiliar, something rotting.

"What's this smell?" he heard himself say.

"Just the marshes. Nothing to worry about," Dean assured him. Marshes…! Castiel looked away from the water, up into the trees where there were no stars. But his lantern's light reflected off the trees and leaves weirdly. There were decorations added to the trees lining the road. They were probably colorful in daylight. They looked like teeth in the darkness.

There were things that came for angels. Form the water. From the marshes. Long bodies gliding almost noiselessly, maybe just a scrap of scales on the ground. Twisted monsters, rotten, that slip into you, fill you. Drag you under and drown you. A void with teeth.

"Castiel!"

Castiel had dropped the lantern. He needed air now, light. There was a tree close by with low hanging branches. He jumped up, grabbing hold of the branch and pulling himself up. He moved up and up, through the  wet foliage slapping against his face and the branches scratching red welts into his skin. He climbed blindly, up.

Until finally! He broke through the tree top.

It was silent.

A breeze of fresh air ruffled his hair and his feathers. A light spray of rain felt cool on his face. There was still light in the sky, the sun setting behind the tree covered hills. It was beautiful to watch. There was green everywhere, dipped into the hues of the setting sun, mist rising above the tree tops. In the distance a hill rose out of the forest. Was that the capital of Winchester?

There was a rustle below Castiel and a moment later Dean emerged from the leaves, much to Castiel's surprise.

"How…," he started, watching Dean pick a leaf out of his hair. "How did you get up here?"

"I climbed, obviously," Dean said, watching Castiel with a raised eyebrow. "The trees here are sturdy enough. The hard branches of the treetops are good enough for a Naga to rest in." Castiel continued to look at him in surprise.

"Castiel… What's wrong? You worried me there, buddy." Castiel let his head drop. Now that he was able to clear his head, his actions seemed foolish.

"We angels don't like the darkness."

"Yeah, I figured a while ago."

"Legend says that we used to be creatures of light. Radiant beings, light as air, filled with energy. But we were weak in the absence of light. Darkness can drag us down."

"That's all very poetic but there's nothing scary about the night," Dean assured him, "or the darkness." Castiel studied him with a frown. Dean wasn't mocking him, his expression was genuine worry.

"Maybe not for you, because you can see what's out there…" Castiel said. Dean was silent but after a while he nodded.

"Alright. I don't quite get it yet, but I'll make sure there'll always be plenty of light for you," Dean promised, "we can go to the wagon now, keep the light burning until the sun rises again." Castiel looked past his husband at the red sky. Soon the light would be gone too, replaced with the moon and stars. "Do you wanna come down?" Castiel nodded.

"I'm sorry for my embarrassing behavior," he said but Dean made a dismissive gesture with his hand.

"It's okay, seriously. I would have freaked too. Just come down once you're ready," Dean told him, them he disappeared under the foliage. Castiel didn't linger long, climbing down as well. He took the last bit with a jump, landing safely on his two feet. Dean was there, looking down at him with an encouraging smile. Castiel felt… something in his chest expand and then unclench. He stepped up to Dean and then wrapped his arms around his tail, pressing his face against his scales.

"Thank you," he said and Dean slowly relaxed after instantly tensing following Castiel's hug. Dean patted Castiel's head, allowing Castiel to keep holding him for a while longer, enjoying Dean's scent, the warmth of his scales. He finally stepped away and picked up his lantern. It was still shining brightly and a quick inspection showed that it hadn't suffered Castiel's earlier careless treatment. When he rose it to look at Dean, his husband's entire face was red. Right, personal space.

"Uh… You're welcome," Dean finally said after a couple of false starts. It took a moment for Dean to collect himself, but when he did they quickly caught up with their wagon and climbed inside. Dean carefully made sure that the door was locked and nothing could get into the wagon. Uncaring about the dirt he might drag into his wagon, Dean left Castiel sitting on the small bench by the entrance and went to light the small oil lamp. Castiel was reluctant to extinguish the flame of his lantern, but in the end he did, placing it down on the floor. Castiel slipped out of his shoes and went to Dean when he waved at him. Castiel had expected Dean to get clean now, but Dean stayed right where he was, lying down enough to be at eyelevel with Castiel once he sat down. Castiel got comfortable, pulling up a thin blanket over his lap, all under Dean's watchful eyes.

"Next stop, the capital," Dean said with a grin. "There'll be light there. I promise." Castiel nodded.

"Thank you," he said and watched Dean pull a book and a small satchel out of the boxes behind him. He wasn't in his bed, instead sitting on a blanket right next to Castiel. If he reached out he could put his hand on Dean's tail. He hesitated, but in the end he reached out enough to lightly touch the warm scales with his knuckles. It felt good. He felt… taken care of. It was peculiar but if Castiel was being honest with himself? It was a wonderful feeling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading! Questions, feedback and constructive criticism are all welcome. ♥
> 
> (We still don't know what's in that box, do we? Maybe we need a follow up part? Let me know what else you'd like to read about!)

**Author's Note:**

> If everything goes according to plan there will be one more chapter and then we will leave the village Hagar behind so that Cas gets to see the capital!
> 
> Thank you for reading! Questions, feedback and constructive criticism are all welcome. ♥


End file.
